The other day tree trimming contractors for the Public Service Company of New Mexico came up figuring on cutting down that elm tree by the gate... I tell them they can trim it if they think it might threaten the overhead wires sometime, but that it’s staying.

We had a bit of a set to and they went off figuring to talk to the bosses and come back tomorrow...

Today the tree cutting contractor pulled in up front, stood at the gate trying to get my attention

I came out onto the porch

"We gotta take that tree down"

I come inside, get the camera run to the front snapping pictures of them and their truck

"Gonna get your pictures in the paper"

"What paper?"

"Go ahead and cut down that tree and you'll see soon enough"

"You can't do that, man. You got no right taking pictures" Him hiding his face, the others throwing coats over the painted sign on the truck, hiding faces, getting into the truck.

"We ain't going to take your tree man. If PNM asks just tell them we trimmed it." Everyone hiding faces.

"Erase those pictures"

I tell him he won’t be in the paper.... they drive off.

Qualifies as fairly weird in my humdrum weirdless existence.

Jack